Genetic and cytogenetic analyses of the A genome of Triticum monococcum. IX. Cytological behaviour, phenotypic characteristics, breeding behaviour, and fertility of primary, double, and triple trisomics.

Cytogenetic studies in Triticum monococcum (2n = 2x = 14, AA) were initiated by generating a series of primary as well as double and triple trisomics from autotriploids derived from crosses between induced autotetraploids and a diploid progenitor. Analysis of meiotic chromosome behaviour revealed that, with the exception of primary trisomics for chromosome 7A, the chromosome present in triple dose in all other trisomics formed either a bivalent plus a univalent or a trivalent (always V shaped) at diakinesis - metaphase I in approximately equal proportions. Trisomics for chromosome 7A formed a bivalent plus a univalent or a trivalent in approximately a 1:2 ratio. About 99% of the anaphase I segregations in all the trisomics were seven to one pole and eight to the other, suggesting that primary trisomics in T. monococcum form n and n + 1 meiotic products in equal proportions. The double trisomics and triple trisomics formed 5 II + 2 III and 4 II + 3 III during metaphase I, respectively. A majority of the secondary meiocytes from the double and triple trisomics possessed unbalanced chromosome numbers. All the trisomics differed phenotypically from their diploid progenitors. Single primary trisomics for chromosomes 3A and 7A produced distinct morphological features on the basis of which they could be distinguished. The phenotypes of the double and triple trisomics deviated to a greater extent from that of diploids than those of the single trisomics. Less than 50% of the progeny of all primary trisomics were trisomics themselves. Trisomic progeny were not produced in diploid female x trisomic male crosses, indicating that functional n + 1 male gametes were not generated. Diploid as well as trisomic progeny were produced in the reciprocal crosses and upon self-fertilization of the trisomics. The average frequency of trisomic progeny was 9.9%. The fertility of primary trisomics ranged from 3.8% in trisomics for chromosome 1A to 40.6% in trisomics for chromosome 2A and was significantly less than that of diploids (99.6%). The breeding behaviour and low fertility of these trisomics make their maintenance and use in cytogenetic analyses difficult.